Frequently in the course of a welding or assembly operation it is necessary to temporarily clamp two or more parts together in proper spatial relationship prior to welding or assembling. It is also frequently desirable to be able to reposition the clamped assembly for convenient access to the joints to be welded without disturbing the spatial relationship of the clamped parts.
One invention which fulfills the first of these needs is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,892 for a Positioning Fixture For Welding Operations. This prior invention has a lockable articulated clamping arm that allows objects to be conveniently positioned in proper spatial relationship to one another prior to welding. What this and other prior inventions lack is a convenient way to reposition the clamped assembly while preserving the spatial relationship of the parts.